Liquid-measuring apparatus



2 Shelets-Sheet 1 G. W. MACKENZIE LIQUID MEASURING APPARATUS Original Fle'd Sept. 9.

Sept 9 D Sept. 9 1924.

G. W. MACKENZIE LIQUID MEASURING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Sept. 9. 1921 Patented Sept. 9, 19.24.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

GEORGE W. MACKENZIE, OE BEAVER, PENNSYLVANIA.

i LIQUID-Measunrns APPARATUS.

Application filed September 9, 1921, Serial No. 499,583. Renewe'd'ebruary 4, 1924.

To all 'whom t may Concern Be it known that I, GEORGE W. MACKENZIE, residing at Beaver, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Measuring Apparatus, ofwhich iniprovenients the following is ya specification.

Myrinvention relates to improvements in apparatus for measuring liquid, and, more specifically, consists in improvement upon the measuring apparatus shown and described in my application for United States Letters Patent filed August 10, 1921, Serial No. 491,114. Disclosure herein of the subject matter of my said `earlier application is made because such disclosure isl essential to an understanding of the present invention. I do not in making suoli disclosure intend dedication thereof to the public.

The apparatus is designed for measuring liquid as it flows by gravity or under pres-` sure from a source of supply to a point of delivery. It vis applicablel to apparatus for measuring liquid of any sort under the general conditions named, but I have made particular applicationv of itto the measure-v ment of gasoline; And, in dealing with gasoline, apparatus embodying my invention may be used at filling stations and gaf rages,v as a curb measuring device for gasoline as it flows from the storage `tank vat the supply` station to the tank of a purchasers automobile, or it may be used in measur.

ing gasoline as it flows from a tank car on a railway topa tankwagon, or from a tank Wagon to the storage tank of a service station, or elsewhere. I shall show and describe the invention applied to apparatus suitable for measuring gasoline as it flows from a tank wagon to the storage'tank of a service station,` andi it vwill be understood from what hasbeen lsaid that this showing and description are` exemplary, and that thel invention is not limited4 to details, suiting the apparatus to this particular service.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. I is a plan view from above of apparatus particularly designed for vmeasuring gasoline and in which my invention is embodied; Fig. II is. a view of this apparatus in vertical secf tion; Fig. III is a view of it inside elevation; Fig. IV is a fragmentary view l in horizontal section, on the plane indicated by the line IV-IV,. Fig. II; Fig.V V is a fragmentary view, corresponding in character to Fig. II, and i-llustratingfa permissible f modification, Fig. VI is a view in plan and to larger scale ,of one of the parts disasseciated from the assembly, and illustrating a reiinement in structure.

My invention involvesqthe vuse of a wellknown contrivance which, for lack of a better term, I shall.callanoscillating liquid balance. This liquid balance consists essentially of two buckets borne in counterbalance on the opposite arms of a walking beam; the buckets are soarranged that each whenl elevated will hold liquid, when.' lowered will 'be incapable offholdin-g liquid, but liquid previouslycontained will escape from it. Liquid is supplied from above, to. that one of the two buckets which is elevated; while the opposite bucket, beingthen in lowered position, vis empty or in courseof emptying. Asthe upper bucket fills, its weight preponderates and the beam swings, the newly filled bucket descends'andsthe op,-

vposite and now emptybucket rises. As the beam swings the liquid supply ceases to enter the newly descended full bucket and begins toenter the newly risen empty bucket. At the same time thatv this comes about,'tl1e newly descended bucket comes to'such a positionthat its load of liquid escapes. from it. Then', when the bucket which originally was the lower andfwhichnow has become the upper bucket vlls and the opposite bucket, now the lower, has emptiedthelre turn oscillation is accomplished by gravity'. n -My invention involves the adaptation of this old liquid balance to service conditions, and consists further in the provision vof means for measuring the liquid as it escapes from one and the other of` the two buckets, in turn.

Referring to the drawings, two buckets l and 2 are shown, borne on opposite arms of a pair of beams 3 pivoted on a shaft 4, the shaft in turn being carriedy in a suitable support, in thisinstance a post 5. The buckets are hung as shown on trunnions, to the-end that asthe beams swing they mayrise and descend in substantially truev ver-tical posi-l through openings in thefplates which cover`- the buckets at the upper end and in cylin- 'and which encloses the whole.

downward from the bottoms ot the bucketsv through guide openings in plate 9 hold the buckets from rotation on their axes.

Post 5, bosses 8, and plate 9 are all carried by a casing which includes a shell 12, The present apparatus being intended for service ot the nature indicated, the casing is provided with feet 13 and with handles 14. y

lVithin the casing above and below the buckets are arranged chambers for incoming and outgoing liquid; to the one an inlet tap 15 opens, from the other an outlet tap 16 leads.

penings 17 and 1S from the upper chamber lead through the bosses 8 to the two buckets, and from the buckets openings 19 and 2O lead through the bosses 10 to the lower chamber. The bosses above and below and the openings through them are aligned, as the drawings indicate. These four openings are controlled by poppet valves, 21, 22, 23 and 24., all of which close downwardly, in the direction ot How. Valve stems extend downwardly from the upper valves 21 and 22, and stems extend both upwardly and downwardly from the lower valves 23 and 241. The downwardly extending stems of the upper valves and the upwardly extending stems of the aligned lower valves are relatively movable longitudinally and relatively rotatable, they abut as the operation progresses, and preferably they engage one another in the telescopic joint shown; the downward extending stems ot the lower valves extend into proximity to the bottom of the casing which forms the lower chamber and are adapted to make rotary bearing upon the bottom of the casing. The proportions ot these valve stems. are such that descent of a bucket allows the upper valve to close while the lower valve is unseated by engagement of its downwardly extending stem with the wall oit' the casing below; while ascent of a bucket allows the lower valve to close, while the upper valve is unseated by the abutment of its stem upon the upwardly extending stem of the lower valve*tlie lower valve being at the saine time itselt1 raised bodily with the rising bucket.v In Fig. II the bucket on the lett is shown in lowered position, with valve 21 closed and valve 23 open, while the bucket on the right is shown in raised position, with valve 2-1 closed and valve 22 open. Consideration of this figure will make plain the details or the foregoing description. It will be observed that the combined length of the abutting stems of the aligned valves is greaterv than the distance between the valve seats when a bucket is raised and less than the distance between the valve seats when a bucket is lowered.

Operation of the apparatus as thus i'ar described is as follows, particular reference being had to Fig. II. The source of gasoline supply, as for example a tank wagon, is connected by a hose with inlet tap 15, and another hose connection is made from outlet tap 16 to the `place ot delivery, as for ex- Y ample the storage tank ot a service station. Under such conditions the tlow is ordinarily by gravity. rlhe parts being in the position shown, gasoline entering at 15 is flowing through port 18 into the right-hand bucket, 2; at the same time gasoline previously contained in the lett-handV bucket, 1, is Aflowing out through port 19 to the outlet 16. This condition obtains until the excessive weight of bucket 2 over bucketliovercomes the gravity of weights 6,'then exerted in oppo` 'Ill sition to the descent of bucket Vhen this change in weight has come about beams 3 swing, bucket 2 descends and bucket 1 rises. As this occurs the gravity of weights 6 is shifted and exerted now to sustain f bucket 1 in elevated position. When the relative positions of the two buckets so change, the valves are reversed, and empty bucket 1 begins to be iilled, while full bucket 2 begins to empty.V This filling and emptying continues until the weight of bucket 1 so far exceeds that of bucket 2 that the gravity of weights 6 is again overcome, whereupon the beams swing again, andthe parts return to the position shown in Fig.` II. Thus as the gasoline flows it is carried alternately by vone bucket or the other, andthe periodic oscillation of the buckets take place. p

It remains to describe the measuring` apparatus.

Secured to the stems of the upper valves 21 and 22 are two cages; these cages consist of upper spiders 25 and 26, rigid f secured to the valve stems, lower spiders 31 and 32,

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stems of valves 23 'and `24 and there is free relative rotary and longitudinal movement between cage and valve stein. In the buckets are floats 27 and 28; through each float is a vertical central opening for 'the extension through of the upwardly extendl ing stem of the lower valve (23 or 24), and also vertical lateral openings, through which l the rods 29 are threaded. The upwardly extending stems of the lower valves, throughout that portion of their-extent which in normal operation is covered by the play of spiders longitudinally upon them are truly lSU cylindrical, but throughout so much of'tlieir length as is covered by therise andv fall of the oats 27 and 28, these valve stems are flattened, and their flattened surfaces are spiraled longitudinally, as appears at 30. In the central openings in the floats, through which the stems 3.0 extend, slots 33 and-34 are formed, and the lips of these slots, closely opposing the flat faces of the stems 30, effect rotation of stem and float, one relativelyto the other, as these parts `move longitudinally, one relatively to the other. To the valve stems are keyed gears 35 these mesh with gears 36 of tally registers 37. Provision is made for maintaining gears 35 and 36 constantly in mesh throughout the range of vertical movement of the valve stems 30; this may conveniently be achieved in an elongation of the bodies of one or of both of the gears.

The oscillation of buckets l and 2 has been explained. As oscillation takes place the valves which control the filling and the,

emptying of the buckets open and close;

: when a bucket is down its outlet valve is open, due to abutment of its downwardly extending stem with the lower wall of the chamber beneath; at the same time the inlet valve 2l above is closed by gravity andv in the direction of low.- Vhen a bucket is raised its outlet valve is closed by gravity and in the direction of iiow, and at the'same time its inlet valve is opened by abutment of the aligned valve stems. `Filling and emptying eiectv rise and descent of the floats. The position of parts as shown in Fig. II is this: they left-hand bucket is down and nearly if not quite empty, and the righthand bucket is raised andnearly if not quite full.v Giving attention rst to the left-hand bucket, it will be observed` that valve 2l is seated and valve 23 unseated. By virtue of the fact that valve 21 is seated, the cage which is carried by its stem is held secure against rotation. The float 27 which has descended to or near its lower lim-it hasfdescended in right-line course, without'rotation, being held thereto by rods 29. A s it has descended, the engagement ofk slot 33 with the spiraled portion 30 of the stem of i valve 23 has caused the valve stem and the valve with it to rotate. This has been possible'l because at the time valve 23' has stood free of its seat. Rotation of this valve stem has driven the tally register, through the gearing already described.

Turning attention now to the right-hand bucket, whichY stands in raised position, it will be seen that it is the lower valve, 24,

which is closed, and the upper valve, the in-V let valvey 22, which is open; accordingly, it is the valve stem 30 whichon this side is'secure against rotation, while the float 28 and the cage and the valve 22 are free to 'rotate It will be apparent then that as this right-hand bucket has filled and float 28 has risen, no driving impulse 4has been .impartedtothe tally mechanism L37 above. Presently the emptying of the left-hand bucket and the filling of the `right-hand bucket will vbe completed, beams :3 will swing, the bucket positions will be reversed, the valve posi-V tions will be reversed, the right-hand bucket will begin to empty and in its emptying the tally registeron the righ-t' will operate while on the left-hand .side the bucket will be filling and the'tally'willbe at rest.

In the progressy '.of operation Vli'rst one valve stem 30 isrotated and then the other,

but it is sold byl volume. My apparatus affords accurate volumetricmeasurement;v As the specific gravity of` the gasoline varies the range of rise and fall of floats 27 and 28 will var but alwaysV the record will be an accurate volumetricl record. y,

The buoketsbeing truly cylindrical it will be understood that every inch of downward movement of the float isan accurate indication ofvolume. Conveniently the pitch of the spiral. is so proportioned tothe diameter of the bucket that one half` turn of the spiral records onegallon escaping from the bucket. And further the ratio. of' gears 35 to 36 is as 2 to l, to the enol that one complete rotation of the shaftof the tally means one gallon of gasoline delivered. I .A rotary -valve, indicated at 39 in Fig; 1`,`maycon trol an air-hole through the casing. y.This valve" may be operated byr shaft 4,:the1 ar-y rangement being such that when the beams `3 are in horizontal position the valve will be closed, but, as the beams 3 move from horizontal position in either direction, thevalve will vbeopened. It will be understood that when the beams. 3 extend in horizontal l position allvalves are closed. Y My only reason VJfor providingtwo tallies and 'connecting thetwo spindles 30 .each

. with itsown tally, is that such an arrange--v mentminimizesthe amount of transmission possible apparatus. y Y f, i

y Materials and proportionsare such as mayL be found advantageous. Brass, for example,

and the shell.;y the end structures above 'and belowmay, for the. sake of lightness-be made of cast aluminum.; kthefpost 5 and the Vgearing requisites, and gives the simplest may be used in the formation of the buckets beams 3 of steel. The floats will be of such material as will resist gasoline penetration. They may, for example, be formed' of cork, or of balsam wood, suitably treated and coated, or they may be hollow7 brass shells. The openings through them may be provided with suitable bushings, ordinarily of brass. The bottom plates for the fica-ts, in which the slots 33 and 34 are formed, will ordinarily be brass pl-ates. It will be remarked of the iioats that, even though they become more or less waterlogged, so long vas the specific gravity continues less than that of gasoline, they will still rise and fall with the iilling and emptying of the buckets, and the rise and fall will be -a true volumetric index of gasoline delivery. It should further be remarked that frictional variations in the bearing of the. slot in the iioat .uponr the spiral surface of the spindle will not affect the accuracyv of the measurement. The oat makes its travel, and, whether the transmission be with greater or less friction, the travel of they measuring apparatus will be the same for a` given float movement. The weights 6 may of course be adjustable, and by adjustment e'ect with nicety the Weight of gasoline introduced to and withdrawn from the bucket with each reciprocation.

The range of bucket oscillation may be, say three quarters of an inch; of valve reciprocation, three eighths of an inch.

Turning now to Fig. V, the modification there illustrated will readily be understood: In this yarrangement it is the downwardly extending stem of the upper valve (2l, 22) which is prolonged to constitute the spiral surfaced spindle 30a; it extends through the length of the bucket and terminates near the bottom, where it makes abutment in a rotary bearing upon the relatively short upwardly extending stem of the lower valve (23, 24). The cage is carried by and integrated with the lower valveand is freely rotatablel upon the stem ofthe upper valve; the gear wheel a is integral with the. cage.

IVith this variation in structure, the parts,

being in the position shown, and the bucket in course of being emptied, the descending fica-t (27, 28) will, because of the fact that the upper valve is closed and with its stem is secured against rotation, while the lower valve is open and together with the cage which it carries is free to rotate, effect rotation ofthe tally mechanism. When the position lof the valves is reversed, and the bucket is in course o-f being filled and the Heat is rising, the lower valve is seated and with it the cage is rmly held ao'ainst rotation. The rising float, itself secured against rotation but held to right-line ascent. will impart rotation to the. upper valve, but this will be idle rotation; the tally mechanism will remain at rest.

Fig. VI shows a refinement of engagement of the float (27, 28) with the spiralled spindle 30 and with the guide rods 29. In place of simple slots 33, 34 indicated in Figs. II and IV, pairs of rollers 40, are suitably journalled in the body of the float, and these form the slot, by and between their opposite surfaces. The contact thenwiththe spindle 30 is a rolling contact, in which frictioiiis reduced to a minimum. Similarly the engagement of the floats with the guide rods 29 may be a rolling contact. The drawing shows pairs of rolls 41, 41 engaging the rods 29. Conveniently two sets of rolls 41, 40, 41

may be mounted on two axles 42 and upon these axles the rollers may be mounted for free rotation.

These and other modifications and refine-A aligned filling and emptying valves, the said valves being provided with stems prolonged and abutting one upon the other, such abutting permitting 'relative -rotary movement, one of the said valve stems being provided with a spirally disposed surface, a lioat within the bucket engaging the spirally disposed valve-stem surface, means for holding one 'of `such inter-engaged members againsty rotation, an indicator operated by the relative rotary movement of float and valve stem, and means fo-rshifting said valves to and from alternate closure, substantiallyas described.

2. In liquid-measuring apparatus the combination of a liquid inlet chamber havino an opening in its lbottom wall, a downwardly closing valve iii said opening, a vertically movable bucket arranged beneath said chamber, said bucket having an opening in its bottom, aligned vertically with the aforesaid opening in the bottomwall of said inlet chamber, a downwardly closing valve in said opening, the two said valves provided with abutting and relatively rotatable stems, the length of the combined stems exceeding the distance between the said openings when the bucket is in raised position and beingless than the distance between the openings when the bucket is in lowered position, means for limiting the downward movement of the valve in the bottom of the bucket, a float ink said bucket, spirally disposed surfaces of engagement between float and valve stem, means for holding one of such inter-engaged members against rotation, an indicator, and

means whereby the rotaryl relative movement between valve stem and float imparts movement to said indicator, substantially as described. f

3. In.V liquid-measuring apparatus the llO combination, `with an oscillating l liquid balance, including a bucket borne in counterpoise and having a bottom discharge opening, of a valve in said opening provided with a stem extending vertically within said bucket, a float within said bucket engaging said valve stem over spirally disposed sur 4f.- In liquid-measuring apparatus the combination of an upper inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, a bucket vertically oscillatory in the space between said chambers, means for imposing on said bucket vertical oscillation of limited extent, vertically i aligned openings in the bottom of the upper chamber and in the bottom of the bucket, downwardly closing valves in said openings,

valve-stem connection through which said v valves make vertical abutment one on the other, such interconnection permitting rotary movement one relatively 'to the other, a

stem extending downwardly from the valve in the bottom of the bucket, the said valvestem connection being shorterthan the distance between the saidy openings when the bucket is down and longer than the distance between the openings when the bucket is raised, said downward extending stem from the valve in the bottom of the bucket being shorter than the distance between the open- 'ing in the bottom of the 'bucket and the bottom wall of the outlet chamber when the bucket is raised and longer than the dis-r tance between these parts when the bucket 1s down, a loatin said bucket, rotation-imparting engagement between float and valve :lov

stem, means for holding one of such interengaged members against rotation, an indicator, and means for imparting movement to the indicator in response to relative rotary movement of float and valve stem, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE W. MACKENZIE. Witnesses:

FRANCISV J. ToMAssoN,

HARRY E. VANDERSYDE. 

